Thursday, May 5, 2011

So as usual, everything is taking longer than expected, but I finally got a good mockup of my bodice made. I wanted to try something different this time, so I used the single-breasted jacket bodice (p. 212) in Fashions of the Gilded Age. This particular pattern is a reprint of a pattern from Complete Guide to Ladies' Garment Cutting from 1883. You can see me drawing out the pattern in the artsy, but not incredibly clear photo above. For these patterns, you plot out all the measurements using an apportioning scale (a.k.a. a little paper ruler) that corresponds to your bust size. You just measure down a by a certain number, then across by a certain number, then make a dot. All of these reference points are eventually connected like a big game of dressmaker connect the dots. This scales it up to automatically fit your size, so in theory, no major size alterations are needed.

And much to my amazement, IT WORKED!!! This bodice fits me like a glove, and the only thing that I'm going to have to change is to add an inch or two to the length of the torso, but since I am quite tall by Victorian standards, this is something that I always have to do when working from period patterns. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to cut tabs into the bottom of the bodice like my inspiration pic or just leave it plain like this, but I am thrilled to finally have a good bodice pattern to work with so I can start cutting out my real fabric.

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comments:

Wow! That looks great! This process sounds fascinating... I wonder if I'd have any luck with it. I always feel like I'm going about things the hard or wrong way. Regardless, I really need to start adding more books to my costuming collection (I only have two, Corsets and Crinolines, and one Janet Arnold book).

It looks very good. I Think I would make the waist a little longer (1/2" or so) for the silouette looks a litte to much as an early bustle bodice. But I thinks thats just my kind of taste.But it could also be the corset that makes it look so. Is it a corset from the early period or perhaps from the civil war era?

Yeah, like I mentioned in my post, I'm planning on adding an inch or two to the torso length since I am pretty tall. I just didn't want to change anything the first time so I could see what it looked like in its unaltered state.

Dear Jen,Wow, that came out well. Apportioning scales used in many of the Grimble books have worked well for me, and you're right, they often don't need much tweaking, if you are proportionally sized. It's when your proportions vary that tweaking becomes an issue...like the long-waisted issue. Grimble patterns tend to fit me well, too.

I think those books are amazing. I can't wait to try my bodice from the Edwardian Modiste that we patterned up. So many good things in her book that aren't available elsewhere. I hope I have as much luck as you with fitting. Val

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About Me

Welcome to my project blog! I am an artist and seamstress who is obsessed with fashion history. I tend to focus on the Renaissance through the mid-20th century styles, but I sometimes dabble in fantasy costuming and modern sewing as well.